S9E25 · The Time Monster Part 5 graph

Dalios separates the Doctor and Jo

Dalios seizes the first opportunity to separate the Doctor and Jo, disguising his intrusion into their fragile alliance as royal etiquette. He assigns Hippias to escort Jo to Queen Galleia while he keeps the Doctor behind, exploiting cultural protocols to create immediate distrust between them. The move isolates both protagonists in a city where alliances are fragile and every gesture hides ulterior motive. Dalios’ awkwardness masks calculation, revealing his priority is protecting Atlantis above all—even if it means using Jo and the Doctor as tokens in his courtly game. key_dialogue: [ HIPPIAS: This way, Lady. DOCTOR: (Jo and Hippias leave.) You'll be all right. DALIOS: You'll be all right. Hippias has all the delicacy of a red necked fisherman. ]

Plot Beats

The narrative micro-steps within this event

1

Dalios instructs Hippias to escort Jo to Queen Galleia while he speaks with the Doctor, marking a separation and a new alliance.


Who Was There

Characters present in this moment

4

Calm externally, possibly assessing the separation’s tactical value

The Doctor remains behind with Dalios after Jo leaves, speaking reassuringly to her and to Dalios. He notes Hippias’ rough handling without confrontation, demonstrating calm diplomacy and trust in Jo’s capability even when separated.

Goals in this moment
  • Protect Jo from unnecessary risk
  • Determine Dalios’ true intentions through calm engagement
Active beliefs
  • Protocol can be manipulated for advantage without aggression
  • Isolation can be a strategic tool
Character traits
Diplomatic Composed Trusting
Follow The Third …'s journey

Initially defensive about her non-divine status, then calm and protective of the Doctor

Jo is escorted away from the Doctor by Hippias after being introduced as 'Jojo Grant' to Dalios. She politely resists the notion of divinity but follows protocol, calling back reassuringly to the Doctor before departing. Her demeanor is modest yet assertive amidst the courtly tension.

Goals in this moment
  • Maintain composure in a foreign court
  • Preserve the Doctor’s safety from political maneuvering
Active beliefs
  • The Doctor’s presence is more valuable than standing on ceremony
  • Courtesy is a practical tool, not just ritual
Character traits
Polite Diplomatic Modest
Follow Jo Grant's journey

Polite on surface, internally tense to maintain control

Dalios orchestrating the separation of the Doctor and Jo, using polite language and pretense of tradition but revealing manipulation through awkwardness. He mispronounces Jo’s name as 'Jojo Grant,' feigns forgetfulness, and criticizes Hippias in front of the Doctor to mask his calculation.

Goals in this moment
  • Protect Atlantis by dividing potential threats
  • Assert authority through ritual and etiquette
Active beliefs
  • Trust must be carefully managed in unstable times
  • Politeness is a weapon when wielded by a ruler
Character traits
Calculating Awkwardly gallant Suspicious of outsiders
Follow Dalios's journey
Supporting 1

Neutral, role-bound

Hippias escorts Jo to Queen Galleia as instructed by Dalios. His presence is framed as dutiful but is immediately criticized by Dalios for his lack of delicacy, reinforcing the fragility of the alliance.

Goals in this moment
  • Execute Dalios’ orders without question
  • Fulfill ceremonial escort duty
Active beliefs
  • Protocol dictates obedience to the king
  • Diplomacy is secondary to direct action
Character traits
Obedient Perceived as tactless
Follow Hippias (High …'s journey

Location Details

Places and their significance in this event

1
Dalios' Terrace

Dalios’ Terrace serves as a stage for courtly power play, where spatial separation becomes a weapon. The open terrace’s shifting light from the setting sun underscores the fragility of alliances, and its ritual patterns on the floor mirror the calculated nature of the encounter. The marble surface and ritual braziers frame the Doctor and Jo’s sudden division under the auspices of tradition.

Atmosphere Formal yet uneasy, with a veneer of civility masking underlying tension
Function Neutral meeting ground turned manipulative arena
Symbolism Represents the thin line between hospitality and political manipulation in Atlantis
Access Open to invited guests but governed by rigid protocol
Waning golden light from the setting sun Smoke from thyme and cypress braziers Polished marble floor with ritual patterns

Organizations Involved

Institutional presence and influence

1
King’s Council of Atlantis

The King’s Council of Atlantis is implicitly present through the structured protocol Dalios enforces during the encounter. The moment reflects the council’s broader role in advising the monarch and legitimizing his decisions through ritual and delegation.

Representation Through Dalios’ use of formal delegation and criticism of Hippias’ lack of delicacy as a …
Power Dynamics Exercising authority by dividing and controlling guests through institutional norms
Impact The event shows how institutional protocol can be weaponized to serve immediate political ends
Internal Dynamics Potential disagreement over means, with Hippias representing a more direct approach while Dalios favors nuanced …
Maintain ceremonial legitimacy despite crisis Control the narrative of hospitality Protocol and delegation of power Public praise and critique to shape perception

Narrative Connections

How this event relates to others in the story

Across episodes

Threads arriving here 4
Causal medium

"Dalios's decision to entrust the true crystal's secret to Hippias (Episode 23) leads to his inclusion in the king's inner circle, making Hippias a target for Dalios's manipulative schemes—such as separating the Doctor and Jo (Episode 25)."

Dalios entrusts crystal’s secret to Hippias
S9E23 · The Time Monster Part 3

"The Master's successful manipulation of King Dalios to separate the Doctor and Jo in Episode 25 is enabled by the Doctor's prior vulnerability in Episode 24, where the Master exploited his isolation in the time-locked TARDIS."

Doctor warns of cosmic ruin in vain
S9E24 · The Time Monster Part 4

"The Master's time-lock trap in Episode 24, which isolated the Doctor, escalates into a manipulative separation of the Doctor and Jo in Episode 25, using King Dalios as a new vehicle for psychological warfare."

Doctor and Master trapped in temporal duel
S9E24 · The Time Monster Part 4

"In both scenes, authority figures attempt to split the Doctor and Jo—Part 4 via the Master’s trap (cand_evt_scene_26990874202cafda_1), and Part 5 via Dalios’ ruse (cand_evt_scene_110f91ab3c173da8_2). The parallel underscores their forced separation as a tool of manipulation."

Doctor pleads with Master over Kronos
S9E24 · The Time Monster Part 4
Threads leading onward 4

"The Doctor's separation from Jo in Episode 25 leads to his isolation and trap setting in Episode 26, culminating in the final confrontation with the Master."

Master flees after abandoning Jo to Kronos
S9E26 · The Time Monster Part 6
Causal medium

"In Episode 25, Dalios separates the Doctor and Jo with Hippias as escort—a choice that forces Hippias to deliver Jo to the Guardian’s lair in Episode 26, where she is pursued by the Minotaur."

Lakis delivers urgent warning about intruders
S9E26 · The Time Monster Part 6
Causal medium

"The Doctor and Jo's separation in Episode 25 sets up Jo's later confirmation of Dalios' death (Episode 26), which is pivotal in disrupting the alliance between Galleia and the Master."

Divine vengeance unleashed over lies exposed
S9E26 · The Time Monster Part 6

"The forcible separation of the Doctor and Jo by Dalios (Part 5) leads directly to their shared imprisonment in the dungeon (Part 6), where King Dalios's death also occurs."

Dalios reveals Atlantiss fate and dies
S9E26 · The Time Monster Part 6

Themes This Exemplifies

Thematic resonance and meaning

Part of Larger Arcs